Picture This' blog offers professional advice, opinions, humor, expertise and personality on a variety of topics. Our intent is to share valuable information (for free) to anyone interested in expanding their understanding of the internet and all of the tools/methods available to promote recognition of a product or service to the world.

Recent Comments

"This is a really interesting post, and one a lot of folks should consider when revealing their entire lives to Facebook. I saw this article on Friday May 20th, 2010 - in the Economist magazine.
"Executives at Facebook met to decide whether they should simplify the 170 privacy options on the social-networking website amid growing unease about the public availability of users’ personal information."
Here is a link to the full article.
http://www.economist.com/business-finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16167766 "Read more
by Neil
on Facebook - Is Your Privacy At Risk?

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Don’t Look Now But Your Video Isn’t Showing

Do you remember the first time you saw something on the television? If you were like me I was mesmerized by the sounds, movement and all the colors – think Bugs Bunny, Wizard of Oz, etc. Even today I would much rather watch the television than read a lengthy article in a magazine or newspaper. I do however enjoy reading a good hardcover book – I digress.

Video Allure

Is your business using video in any way? Have you ever visited You Tube? As the old saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words” has been amplified over and over with television, VCRs, DVDs, online videos and more. According to comScore, internet users in the United States view over 14.3 billion online videos a month and online video viewing accounts for over 12.5% of Americans total time spent on the internet. Quick – hand me my eyedrop medication for dry eye. NPD Group states that 97% of internet users in the United States use the internet to shop. Even the Kelsey Group remarks that 54% of Americans have substituted the Internet for the phone book.

Video Power

So, how powerful is video? Think about the last commercial you saw that was trying to sell something. Take for instance a new car commercial. You see a person in a convertible driving down a curvy, coastal highway while the sun is setting. It was pure visual stimulation; with the engine revving, tires squealing, music playing and the sound of laughter in the background. All good stuff. Did the video appeal to your senses? Did you sense how “nice” the car would look with you driving it? Could you almost feel your hands gripping the steering wheel as your foot pushes the accelerator?

Video Persuasion

Adding videos to your website can be very effective in persuading a visitor to either purchase your product or service, and/or do more searching on the site for more information. The trick is that your video has to “Engage” the viewer. It can’t be boring, poorly created or really long. Time must be spent on crafting your message, delivering it in an informative fashion and mixing in some fun and cool colors/graphics.

Video Show and Tell

Since video stimulates the brain, it creates a connection that words and photos alone cannot. Most consumers want to do business with people they know, like and trust; video goes a long way in establishing that connection before they even meet you. Picture superiority effect states that concepts are much more likely to be remembered if they are presented as pictures rather than words. As you are creating your videos, remember to use “visual elements” along with the verbiage in the script.

Video Marketing

Videos are an important part of an overall internet marketing strategy. As with any marketing strategy, the goal is to grab the attention of the viewer. For example, think about those commercials that run during the Super Bowl. Many people don’t watch the Super Bowl for the game; they want to see the commercials because they know that new and very creative ads will be shown during the game.

Video marketing is the new cutting edge way to advertise your businesses’ products and services. It doesn’t require a huge investment in equipment or a large marketing budget to create an effective video – just some creativity, resources and time. Once you create the video and use it, it can be stored for future use. Your website could even have a section named “University”, “Library”, “Product Videos” or “Service Videos”. Be sure and make the video both informative and entertaining. It’s a perfect way to introduce a new Product or Service. Videos can even be incorporated into blogs and e-newsletters.

We have always been a visual society being influenced by what we see and hear. Online videos are a modern day continuation of visual stimulation. Your website and brand will be ELEVATED above your competition by the addition of video.

So what are you waiting on – go get that digital camcorder and start filming. Or, contract with a professional who can “juice” it up for you. Either way you will be doing something most other businesses want to do but haven’t quite taken that step yet. Start the journey!!